There are known medical devices used for examining various anatomical cavities of patients. For example, vaginal specula are used in the diagnostic medical field to examine the cervix of a female patient. Over time, a number of various specula designs have been developed. Typically, a Graves speculum is defined by an upper blade and a lower blade, the latter including a pistol-grip like handle portion. The speculum is inserted in the vagina of a female patient and the upper and lower blades are articulated to facilitate examination of the cervix of the female patient.
After insertion of the vaginal specula, the medical professional can visually examine the patient's cervix, either by looking through the passage created between the blades of the vaginal speculum or by inserting an imaging device between the blades of the vaginal speculum. However, inserting the imaging device can disturb the inserted vaginal speculum and can be uncomfortable for the patient. Furthermore, the imaging device must be sterilized between uses to prevent any contamination from being transferred between patients. In addition to visually examining the patient's cervix, the medical professional can take a vaginal sample by inserting a sample collecting device within the passage created between the blades of the vaginal speculum and gathering the sample. The sample collecting device, however, may contact additional surfaces during the process, thus potentially contaminating the sample.
Vaginal specula require a clinician, or other caregiver, typically a medical professional, to insert the speculum and perform the examination. However, many patients experience embarrassment and discomfort at the idea of experiencing such an intimate and potentially uncomfortable examination. Because of this discomfort, many women elect not to have these examinations performed. As a result, serious medical conditions, such as cervical cancer, can remain undiagnosed or be diagnosed at a stage that is too late to effectively treat.